Now It IS a Tax: Did Romney Just Flip on Obamacare?
- Posted on July 4, 2012 at 6:40pm by
Mytheos Holt
- Print »
- Email »
Earlier this week, leading Romney advisor Eric Fernstrohm had quoted GOP nominee Mitt Romney as saying that he‘d disagreed with the Supreme Court’s ruling on Obamacare, and still thought the individual mandate was a penalty. Either Fernstrohm was listening wrong, or Romney decided that having guts about this question wasn’t worth the political risk. CNN’s Dana Bash caught up with Romney and got the following video:
“Supreme Court is the final word, right?” Romney told CNN Senior Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash and CNN Producer Shawna Shepherd. “Isn’t that the highest court in the land? And they said it‘s a tax didn’t they?
“So it’s a tax, of course, if that’s what they say it is,” he continued.
It’s worth noting that Romney defers to the Court on this question, not explicitly saying he agrees with the ruling. Perhaps he’s trying to thread a fine line between saying “This is what the law says” and “This is what I think the law ought to say.” Either way, it’s a bit of nuance that is likely to be lost on viewers, and come off as simply another Romney flip flop. Which it may well be.




















Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (87)
Steve28
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 11:50amI tink if Obama wishes to make this election about providers versus freeloaders maybe Mitt ought to embrace the providers of America. How about are you tired of seeing kids with cell phones and getting free school luches you are paying for? Are you tired of seeing people get beer and cigarette and snow crabs legs that have EBT cards? Are you sick and tired o advertisement telling people how to get money from the government? Are you tired of the government regulations that have cut your income, caused more hassles and paperwork? Are you tired of being lied to about your taxes not going up to fund all these programs when the bills say they will? He could go on for an hour!
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:28pmMitt didnt really flip flop – he just shows himself as a typical politican hypocrite. Romneycare and Obamacare both require you to buy insurance – or else you pay a fee….
Romney is saying obamacare is a tax but then says Romneycare is a penalty. Romney says his is ‘only’ a penalty because it was done at the state level….NO!!! Whatever it is (tax or penatly), it is the same thing just done by a different level of government.
Santorum tried to tell you all that Romney would not be able to do this – but you didnt listen
Report Post »resme
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 3:36pmhmm, Who to vote for? A giant Turd or a Giant Douche….
Report Post »cmonnow
Posted on July 6, 2012 at 12:41amyeah.. it‘s terrible that lunches are provided for people who can’t afford food
Report Post »LukeAppling
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 11:28amAnytime you send money to the government it is some type tax-tax,permit,license,penalty,traffic ticket, fee, judgment, …the government would like to confuse us with euphemisms but giving money to any government is a tax!
Report Post »RETIREDOLDGUY
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 1:11pmNicely said and sooo true. Who cares what it is called.
Report Post »Canada_Goose
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 11:15amIs it really any surprise that Mr. Romney has changes his position? He’s caught in a catch 22 situation. If he says it’s a tax then he would have to admit that he raised taxes when he was governor of Massachusetts.
The SCOTUS ruling is actually a 4-4-1 split with only Justice Roberts arguing that it is a tax, Justice Ginsburg wrote an opinion dissenting from this argument and the conservative justices wrote an opinion arguing that it’s unconstitutional period.
As an aside can anyone name one major social, foreign policy or economic policy issue on which Mr. Romney has not flip flopped.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 4:28pmthe federal reserve – Mitt Romney has ALWAYS supported it
Report Post »bank bailouts – Mitt Romney has always supported them
jrcess
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 11:02amObama only knows two things. Tax and spend. Go figure. It was a tax day one. Obama could not run a pop corn machine much less a country.
Report Post »jsciai
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 10:54amTempest in tea pot. The question was a loaded one based on Romney’s previous comment. Of course obamacare is a tax. It was declared to be so by the SUPREME COURT of the USA. Nowhere in this article does Romney say he supports that but previoulsy has said he disagreed with the finding. I disagree with the finding and feel SCOTUS blew this one big time. However, I can state my opinion but really doesn’t matter. It has been ruled a tax. I’m sure Romney will take a bunch of heat from bro winston, soybean, justangry, etc. But it doesn’t matter. obama has to go and Romney is the only one to do it.
Report Post »dmerwin
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:16pmThat is exactly correct in your analysis. We send issues to the highest court in the land for DEFINITIVE judgment. If the court says it is a tax case closed, done deal. Parse all you want but the final arbiters have decided.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:36pm@jsciai
Report Post »The problem is that in the next answer, Romney says Romneycare is a penalty and NOT a tax….Excuse me? Both Obamacare and Romneycare are individual mandates – so whatever Romney wants to call Obamacare, Romneycare is the exact same thing. To try to justify why Romneycare is a penalty and not a tax, he says “its a penalty because it was done at the state level”….As if states dont increase taxes…. Just face it, Romney is a pathetic waste of a constitutional opportunity. You can call him ‘lesser of two evils’ if you want to – but at least be real about it
West Coast Patriot
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 3:23pmJSCIAI, How are you going to feel in November when the media starts delclaring “Obama has won a second term?” That is what’s going to happen if Romney goes up against him. Polls: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html
Report Post »I know these are just polls, but they are telling. The only one that has Romney ahead is right leaning Rassmussen, I mean een Fox has Obama at +5!
I have been in Las Vegas and the surrounding area this week, I have yet to see a Romney political sign, but I see Ron Paul signs everywhere! I am amazed by what I see. How is it that Romney won here? Can you say election fraud. Almost everyone I talk to are against Romney.
Everything you guys have been listening to on the news is bogus, I am telling you. You are going to have a rude awakenting come November if you do not wake up now. I challenge all of you to get in your vehicles, go around and look for “Vote Romney” signs. Post your results.
jsciai
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 5:03pmWest Coast Patriot–Welcome back. I though you were going to take some time off.
Report Post »How will I feel if Romney loses in November? Rotten, disgusted, sad, mad, disgruntled, angry…
How will I feel of Ron Paul stole the nominatin and then lost to obama? STUPID!
West Coast Patriot
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 5:28pmSorry, I just have a hard time staying away from all of you. I am on tour. I am making a difference, I am seeing things first hand that tell me that Romney stole the election from Ron Paul with vote tampering, it is the only explanation. If you guys are OK with that, then everyone deserves what will come. Romney will not win, where if Paul was given the chance, he would win by a landslide. It is the truth, and if you guys could see it from where I am standing. Oh well, que sara sara.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 6:00pm@WestCoast, It was like that here in Central Ohio. I seen one Santorum sign and hundreds of Ron Paul signs. The over passes around the outerbelt would have RP signs hanging from them almost every day. They’d take them down and the next day another would be put back up. I suppose it’s possible that is was just a few hardcore supporters, but… The people I talk with every day are either liberals, just want to get rid of Obama, or apathetic because they don’t think it makes a difference anymore.
Report Post »jsciai
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 8:12pmWPC, I applaud your tenacity. If you feel you are making a difference, then cudos and best of luck, and I mean that sincerely. However, facts are stubborn things. You folks keep claiming Romney/RNC stole the nomination from Dr Paul. I might could see that if the difference between them in any given primary was low single digit. But the reality is so very far from that. Take a look below at FACTS about the Romney/Paul battles:
DELEGATE COUNT
RCP Total Total Primary Results by Candidate
Delegates Romney Santorum Gingrich Paul
2,286 1473 267 145 118
Paul lost to Romney by 1248%!!!!!!!!!
POPULAR VOTE:
Total Romney Santorum Gingrich Paul
18,502,300 9,809,662 3,909,460 2,720,135 2,063,043
Paul lost to Romney by 475%!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PRIMARY WINS COMPARISON:
Romney Paul
41 2
Romney beat Paul by 2050%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_delegate_count.html
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/republican_vote_count.html
wpc–Dude, come on. I appreciate the sentiment, but if you keep pushing Dr. Paul it only helps obama. Plain and simple. Let’s get obama out, Romney in, and a conservative house and senate and start turning this thing around. We‘ll keep Romney and the other elected officials’ feet to the fire, and Dr. Paul will be there as well, helping out. Whatcha Say?
Report Post »West Coast Patriot
Posted on July 6, 2012 at 2:21amJSCIAI, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Ko_NqJFRc&feature=autoplay&list=PLB757F73442B7012A&playnext=2
The evidence is there on the GOP flipping votes from Paul to Romney. But you are someone who either cannot believe that that could happen, or you just do not care that it happened. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByJAC-sfXwumZzI2bVlON2VTMnFyYVZZSnpDYnNyQQ/edit?pli=1
Romney is not going to win as he cannot get enough of the Independent vote in order to do so. Sorry, just facts. He cannot even get the entire Republican party to vote for him. If you think that Dems are disgruntled enough to vote Romney over Obama, you are not thinking clearly.
Paul would bring all these factions to the table along with the youth vote, so if you want to continue with the guy that cannot win, be my guest. I will write his name in on my ballot.
Report Post »jsciai
Posted on July 6, 2012 at 3:41pmWPC-
Report Post »I am not a person who believes the boogey man is behind every tree. People can and do commit fradulent acts, perhaps especially politicians. But, to believe that the RNC could have committed voter fraud to the tune of 7,746,619 votes is absolutely CARAAAAZEEEEE! And hey, you paulbots know who you are. Why haven’t you all gotten together in the individual primaries and shown where there was voter fraud? ‘Cause you cant. Man, this is why no one gives you guys any credence–political insanity. Soybean is picking nits and straining at gnats, Muttiny is providing half truth edited videos–that don’t even prove his point anyway, justangry is, well, just angry, and YOU can’t come to reality in the fact that the popular vote went overwhelmingly to Romney. And you claim Romney couldn’t even get the republican party to vote for him???? Uh, I think they did. But, hey, Dr. Paul will be the Great Uniter. RIIGGHHTT.
WPC, Come into the light. Embrace reality and rational thought. It’ll blow your mind!
Romney 2012
BehindTheMouth
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 10:26amNo, he evolved his position on it.
Report Post »encinom
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 10:35amHe has taken every position on the point. Romney didn’t evolve, he is saying anyhting the base and the big dollar donors want to hear.
Report Post »DrFrost
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 10:50amThe court said it’s legally a tax. It is, therefore, legally a tax. Period. End of discussion. If congress wants to go back and rewrite the law and try again that’s up to them. I think Romney’s position here is simply being reasonable. You can disagree with the court, but they are the final arbiter of legality in this country.
Regardless, it really doesn’t matter. If he‘s elected he’s made it clear that Obamacare is gone. Whether it‘s a tax or whether it’s not a tax, if he’s elected… it’s gone. And if he’s not elected, his opinion doesn’t matter.
Report Post »HKS
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 11:04amLooks like a “less filling, taste great” issue to me. Does it really matter what Obama calls taking your money.
Report Post »thefnshow
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 11:23ama dem changes his mind it’s because he evolved, a repub changes his mind it’s a flip flop…obama has evolved a lot in four years…encinom, you and the dems are hypocrites…doesn’t matter what the dems or romney says .he scotus said it‘s a tax so it’s a tax…taxes are a budget issue..those originate in the house,obamacare originated in the senate…there should be a new vote to nullify it.
Report Post »paprtowl
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 10:25amthe commerce clause was never intended to be a control over the american people by the authors of the constitution. yet over the last 100 years plus that is exactly what it has become. all major political parties have used legalistic tongue twisting to advance this goal. limit the commerce clause or eliminate the commerce clause.
paprtowl
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 7:56pmno one reads this, or maybe they just don’t care or understand.
Report Post »Malcom0983
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 9:59amLOL @ Romney supporters!
Report Post »Maybe it’s time for his supporters to flip flop.
In what world is a crappy, 4 year, ex-govornor, flip flopping, Cayman Island Account turd nugget “more electable” than a straight shooting, long-time congressman, war veteran, doctor and strict constitutionalist?
soybomb315
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:44pmyea but Ron Paul doesn’t look as good in a suit therefore he is not qualified….
Report Post »justangry
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 1:05pmYou forgot draft deferring Bilderberger. :)
Report Post »TeaDestroyer
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 2:18pmthanks GOProgressive party for giving us four more years of Obama.Romney can’t take a stand because he has nothing to stand on. Zero Integrity. Human Etch-A-Sketch Doubtful he can beat Obama. Even FOX News’ own Rupert M thinks so.
Report Post »Ted Zeppelin
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 9:36amDid Romney flip-flop? I guess you didn’t notice the flip-flop by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Report Post »cmonnow
Posted on July 6, 2012 at 12:42amthe Chief Justice worked through all the arguments and came to the light.
Report Post »kevinthewriter
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 9:33amIf I have to vote for a progressive, I’m going to vote for the conservative one and not the liberal one. If we write in a 3rd person, we will split the conservative vote and allow Osucka to win. Let’s vote Romney this time and start working on growing a strong Liberatarian party where small government and individual liberty will have a true voice. We also need to focus on the Federal Reserve….they are the puppetmasters and they must go.
Report Post »NoNannyState4me
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 10:08amForget it about it, you go sell out to the Rombama party all by yourself.
Report Post »AnimalsAsLeaders
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 11:44amReally? Did having the “conservative progressive” George W. Bush ramp up the libertarian party for the next round of elections? NO. It did the opposite – there was a “Anyone but Bush” sticker on every other car in the country. The belief that a “conservative progressive” can place-hold for a real constitutionalist is terribly short sighted. Every election cycle we hear this from the weak-kneed right: abandon your principles and vote for the lesser of two evils, sure he‘s progressive but he’s LESS progressive than so and so. We’ll build up the libertarian movement once we get Bush/Romney/whoever in office.
Report Post »BS! The time to stand up for libertarians is NOW.
AnimalsAsLeaders
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 11:58am“We also need to focus on the Federal Reserve….they are the puppetmasters and they must go”
You’re right. Have you ever heard Romney talk about getting rid of the Fed? Nope. In fact, he’s a big fan of the Federal Reserve. Don’t take my word for it.
http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1123916427001/mitt-romney-on-the-federal-reserve-taxes/
Hmmmm, which politician running for president have I heard talk about needing to get rid of the Fed…. Hmmmmm I wonder…..
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:52pm@kevinthewriter
First of all, there is no such thing as a conservative progressive. ALL PROGRESSIVES are liberal
Second, you dont ‘ have to vote for a progressive’
Three, you dont need to ‘build a libertarian party’ – it already exists. Read the posts on this website – the republican party will never be libertarian. Look, Ron Paul just wants a simple audit of the Federal Reserve and it has taken years and the republican party is still being dragged along on it.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 1:52pmI‘m sorry I’m not convinced. I’ll only vote for someone not agaisnt someone, which is usually why don’t vote. This time around, I have someone I can get behind and he has my vote even though it puts me at the top of the subversive list.
Report Post »acovenantinblood
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 9:28amHow pathetic. Guess I’ll have to write in George Washington. If we get Obama again so be it. If God decides to judge us with him then who am I to stand int he way. The Republican party should have done better. And Christians should have woken up. Whatever. RIP America.
Report Post »KidCharlemagne
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 9:17amJust add that one to the list too:
“The Ultimate Mitt Romney Flip-Flop Collection” (all in one video)
Report Post »russ French
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 9:03amI feel that he believes that it is a penalty and that makes the whole law unconstitutional. The supreme court ruled it a tax. So it is a tax and he believes he can campaign on that premise. either way I don‘t think it’s a flip flop.
Report Post »Pittakos
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 3:38pmExactly! Doofus Roberts declared a penalty is a tax ergo it is a tax even though it is really a penalty. Romney believes it to be a penalty and justly so, but the Supreme Court has declared it otherwise. There is no flip-flop, just coercion to accept a decision by the Supreme Court which has more twists and turns in it to arrive at its conclusion than does Lombard Street in San Francisco.
What is really more interesting is watching the Obama administration hem-hawing and trying to still declare it as a penalty even though the SCOTUS said that a penalty would be unconstitutional. Them libs are just going to have to accept the fact that it is a tax and it is the largest tax increase on the American public since Social Security. They will have to accept the fact that Obama lied (Joe Wilson was right when he stood up and interrupted Obama by yelling “You lie!”) to us when he said he would not raise taxes on the middle class.
Romney has said that on day one he will start the process of getting rid of ObamaCare. He will. RomneyCare and ObamaCare are two different animals. RomneyCare was something that a liberal state wanted and it was within the states right to create it. ObamaCare was shoved down the throats of all Americans despite the fact that the majority of them didn’t want it. So, to those of you he keep saying you won‘t vote for Romney because he doesn’t entirely fit your bill, I say, you are closet Obama supporters because that is what you want to hand
Report Post »trolltrainer
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 8:40amYeah…stupid…
He still has my vote, there is no choice, Obama has to go…
But once again I have to hold my nose…
Great. I think it is getting on time to cash in my chips and buy the sailboat…
Report Post »AZindependent
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 9:05amObamney 2012, Hasten the Collapse
Do you really think it matters at this point? Wall St. thug or Wall St. stooge, either way the banksters rule. Ben Bernake is the most powerful puppet in the world, the men whom control him control the government and the economy.
Elections are just sideshows, held to keep the sheeple thinking they have choice and control. There is no choice, you have no control.
Ann Barnhardt on Mitt Romney http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjJ27P4mXWM
Report Post »AnimalsAsLeaders
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:24pm@AZ
you had me until “sheeple”. lol.
Report Post »BelindaB
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 8:28amCircleWagon……obama NEVER ONCE SERVED AMERICA !!!! In FACT, he is NOT an American at all !!!! ALLEN WEST FOR PRESIDENT !!!!! A REAL AMERICAN, A REAL MAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »justangry
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 1:06pmIf he gets right with Constitution, perhaps. I’d also like to see his voting record match his talk.
Report Post »BelindaB
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 8:25amAllen West, America Needs AND WANTS you now!!!!!
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 8:25amThe Supreme Court is the final word if they rule justly, otherwise WE are.
Report Post »333maxwell
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 3:27amSo Governor Romney‘s campaign has been running around for 2 days DEMANDING it WAS’T a tax (while his little minions in the GOP were prancing around DEMANDING it was).
Is anyone surprised that Governor Romney has ZERO convictions on ANYTHING?
They call him ‘etch a sketch’ but to me he is more like a mixture of silly putty and weather-vane..Totally goofy and any which way the wind blows.
I mean at what point does even his most ardent supporters say ‘this is just getting pathetic, the whole darn camaign’?
Anything to get the Christian guy out of office.
Report Post »historyguy48
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 6:46amDid you think a progressive republican is any different than a progressive democrat? And we are going to fix this how? Oh yes, through our elction process!
Report Post »Well Becky Sue you have a better chance of flying through the air like Superman than we have of becoming a representative republic again!
BelindaB
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 8:22amGet the muslim, anti-Americam, ILLEGAL president OUT…..Vote for the AMERICAN!!!! Vote Romney!!!!!!!!
Report Post »TheBurningTruth
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 2:03amLet’s get it straight. Romney EVOLVED on the mandate/tax issue.
Report Post »The_Jerk
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:27amRomney flips more than a fish out of the water. He’s a progressive. It’s in his blood. Like father and mother.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:54pmHis father was a progressive and so was his mother. His father refused to support Goldwater and his mother was pro-choice. Look at their little spawn now
Report Post »WatchingThePuppetShow
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:18amOur presidents are placed not elected. Do you think the people calling the shots will let the president do what ever he wants? Just watching’ the puppet show…..
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:13amRomney is still 1000 times better than HBO….. Write in …. Palin and West!!!!!
Report Post »BelindaB
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 8:24amI ABSOLUTELY Agree !!!!
Report Post »mecbb55
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 10:59amSarah Palin has absolutely zero interest in ever holding public office ever again. She will never run for president, she will never serve as vice president or in any cabinet position. She quit, she’s out, she is now a pundit, a mouthpiece. She looks at her supporters and all she sees is dollar signs. How do you people not understand this?
Report Post »mecbb55
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 11:03amSarah Palin has no interest in ever holding an elected public office position ever again. She quit, she’s out, nothing more than another talking head. She has absolutely no interest in the presidency, vice-presidency nor any cabinet position. She sees her followers as big fat dollar signs. How do you not understand this?
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:04amIf Romney turns out to be McCain “lite” we’re finished. Unfortunately, I believe he might very well be just that…….. Time will tell.
Report Post »circleDwagons
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:15amMcCain was a war hero, what does romney have? I’d rather die holding onto my priciples then live with my finger in the wind. Noprog 2012
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 1:05pmSomething tells me McCain was Romney-lite….Seems Romney is just a progressive liberal with business experience. Put a gun to my head, i’ll take McCain over Romney at this point
Report Post »jsciai
Posted on July 6, 2012 at 4:16pmSoybean,
357 mag or 44 mag? It really doesn’t make any difference but I personally recommend the 44 mag. Open casket? fogetaboutit!
And if you think McCain is preferable to Romney, you deserve the political Darwin award for 2012 and have openly and clearly set yourself up as an anti-romney, pro-obama troll. It must be his religion, eh? Don’t like them thar morrmunns! Or maybe the fact that he has such a great family, with christian values. Yeah, that might be it. Hard to like Mr. Straight Lace when you‘re tokin’ on a doobie.
Everyone keep moving along. No rational thought to be found here under the soybean posts.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 4, 2012 at 11:59pm“ advisor Eric Fernstrohm ” needs to go .. this isn’t his first “mistake” … who’s side is he on?
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:14amObama’s side, it is obvious!
Report Post »Verceofreason
Posted on July 4, 2012 at 11:58pmRomney and his own campaign manager can’t even get their stories together.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on July 5, 2012 at 12:08amSounds like 0bama and Axlehole. They are never in sync.
Report Post »